UPCOMING RAC MTG. & "WHAT THEY (MOE) DO IS SOMETIMES PITIFUL EVEN TO THEM"

I submitted my June 30, 2018 Elmira Advocate posting to TAG (Technical Advisory Group) back in July and it is on their correspondence list. With this dual committee system (RAC & TAG) it doubles the chances of paperwork and documents not being distributed to all the stakeholders,unless of course everything submitted to TAG automatically is sent on to RAC (Remediation Advisory Committee). I do not know. Anyway I would like my June 30/18 posting sent to RAC not because I expect any action from them but simply to erode their plausible deniability regarding the MOECP (Ministry of Expanded Corporate Pollution) and their inadequate efforts here in Elmira, Ontario.

That particular posting is a relatively detailed critique of the MOECP's Review of Lanxess's consultant's 2017 Canagagigue Creek investigation. Any reader wishing to see that posting merely has to go into the Blog Archives on the right side of the page.

The title of the June 30/18 posting is in quotation marks in the title above and refers to a quote from Susan Bryant that was published in the Elmira Independent on February 5, 1999. It of course was referencing the MOE's behaviour back in the 1990's and it certainly hasn't gotten any better. Any reader of this Blog knows that both the MOE and Uniroyal/Crompton/Chemtura/Lanxess along with their consultants CRA/GHD have lost my faith and respect decades ago.

Therefore one obvious solution is for me to simply present this document to RAC as a Delegation at their September 27/18 meeting in Council Chambers. As I stated two days ago here, I am hesitant to do so. I may have to send it to them via a different process.

Despite my disparaging comments about the RAC and TAG process two days ago there are some positives. First of all despite some of the volunteers being curling buddies and friends of the mayor, generally speaking they have shown themselves to be intelligent and concerned citizens. Their diverse backgrounds and experiences have been beneficial although I expect that they may share some frustrations knowing that all their efforts and input are being filtered through the RAC committee. Simply put Chemtura/Lanxess were very good at avoiding doing the obvious when they dealt with UPAC & CPAC, face to face, once a month. It's so much easier now when they really only have to show up for RAC meetings three or four times per year.

RAC are also the problem. The MOE and Lanxess run the show and the other agencies and groups defer to them far more than independent citizens ever did. Also with the exception of the Region and their rep, the other two groups really don't have a clue about groundwater contamination etc. The GRCA, Woolwich Township and the Region of Waterloo will not push and if they do it is oh so softly and respectfully. The MOE and Lanxess and their consultants have never treated either the public or the other stakeholders respectfully. Deception, manipulation and psuedo science presented to the public and their representatives is incredibly disrespectful and that is their stock and trade. Some of us call a spade a spade and my response to those who don't like being called dishonest is if you want my respect then start being honest with us.

MAKING A SILK PURSE OUT OF A SOW'S EAR?

Well first of all it simply can't be done. Many have tried and many have failed.I have in the past spoken as a Delegation to RAC and there were zero questions or even what could seem like interest from the members. I have submitted important information and data to TAG under both Chairs, namely Dr. Richard Jackson and Tiffany Svensson. As of the Agenda for next Thursday it does not appear that the Interceptor Trench Affidavits and satellite photos that I have submitted will be up for discussion. I could be wrong and be pleasantly surprised next Thursday but I'm certainly not counting on it.

The TAG process as set up by Sandy Shantz and council does not allow for Delegations to the citizens appointed to TAG. That is disgraceful but a very effective way of keeping myself and CPAC at bay. Wouldn't want us polluting the young (?) and inexperienced (?) minds on TAG apparently. I am of two minds regarding being a Delegation to RAC again. The Interceptor Trench issues are vitally important to the health of the creek, the health of public consultation and much more. That said should I continue to try to make a silk purse out of a sow's ear? The process is perverted, undemocratic and a sham of public consultation. I hate to assist in propping it up in any fashion. TAG is this September 20 (6:30 pm.) and RAC is held on September 27/18 at 4 pm I believe in Woolwich Council Chambers.

TAG AGENDA & MINUTES ARE OUT

They were sent out last evening. The Minutes are for the Thursday, July 5, 2018 meeting held in Council Chambers. As mentioned earlier here in the Advocate the next TAG meeting is this coming Thursday at 6:30 pm in Council Chambers.

The Agenda is quite brief although it does contain two Monthly Progress Reports namely for June and July of this year. There are also 2017 Annual Monitoring Report (AMR) Review comments. Depending on what depth TAG delve into this item it could be interesting as the MOE and their hydrogeologist, Mr. Quyom, did take exception to a number of items in GHD's AMR. I reported on Mr. Quyum's review a few weeks back here in the Advocate.

The Minutes of the July meeting appear to be spot on. Page 4 of the Minutes has an excellent Motion from TAG advising the MOECP that they TAG are not satisfied with the sampling to date in the "Gap" area of the Lanxess property next to the Stroh farm. Also the MOECC had acknowledged errors in their Audit Report of the 2017 Lanxess Canagagigue Creek Floodplain Soil Investigation. I had pointed thes out in a written submission to TAG and the TAG Minutes acknowledge that the MOE's revised and reissued
Audit Reort is in part to address my concerns.

Under Section 4 "Correspondence and Documents received since last TAG meeting" I have to assume that the only items listed are items up for discussion at this Thursday's meeting because there are several other Documents that have been received including my Interceptor Trench Affidavits as well as my satellite photos showing the man made works on the surface of the east side property.

THE OBSERVER'S POSITION ON PUBLIC CONSULTATION

First off, as of right now, this week's edition of the Woolwich Observer is not on-line, hence I can't give you the readers the link to their Editorial titled "Ford uses Charter clause at his peril...and ours too".(It's on-line now!) My overall position on this Editorial is that I support it. I might add in general that despite occasional specific criticisms of specific matters I have posted here; overall I agree with far more of their Editorials, comments and opinions that otherwise. Unlike me (this is a joke coming) they aren't yet perfect but I continue to hope.

Quoting from today's Editorial in regards to Premier Doug Ford and his use of the Notwithstanding clause; "If the changes could be justified as more than spite, then there would be no harm in announcing his intention for the legislation to take effect at the next election, with or without the pretense of public consultations - a usually perfunctory facade perpetrated by many governments to legitimize their (often poor) already-made decisions."

O.K. now first off I admit that I'm going to extrapolate the Observer's generalized view on public consultation by governments to a specific, local public participation matter, namely the former UPAC and CPAC as well as RAC and TAG. I have formerly admitted to being naive politically when I first got involved with Varnicolor Chemical and then followed up with the Uniroyal Public Advisory Committee (UPAC). Relatively quickly I did realize that UPAC was a fraud loaded with Uniroyal sympathizers whether former employees or local politicians on Woolwich Council. I didn't realize that even after the bulk of them departed UPAC that the committee was still viewed by Uniroyal, Township Council, and the province through the Ministry of Environment (MOE) as being primarily for appearances sake. Or as the Observer's Editorial states "...a usually perfunctory facade perpetrated by many governments to legitimize their (often poor) already-made decisions."

All these governments had already decided privately that it was in their and Uniroyal's best interests to let nature and dilution expend the time and energy to slowly clean up the site and area rather than Uniroyal to do it. Afterall these government bodies and agencies had all been part of the problem for decades prior to the 1989 Elmira Water Crisis and the longer public focus stayed on it, the worse it would be for everyone's credibility. Hence the official attitudes and behaviours favouring those who go along to get along and attempting to discourage those seeking the truth without favour or prejudice.

FOUR YEARS AND WAITING

1) Interceptor Trench 2) Stroh Drain 3) The "Gap" 4) GP1 & 2

These four issues above have all been covered in these pages. They have all been presented publicly at either CPAC, RAC, TAG or in Woolwich Council. Yet after four years not a one of them have been so much as addressed by our authorities much less admitted to. This folks is evidence of a corrupt system, plain and simple. Within these groups listed above we have the Region of Waterloo, Woolwich Township, The Ministry of Environment and the Grand River Conservation Authority. Not one of them have phoned me or any other CPAC member and asked for more details or clarification.

1) The Interceptor Trench on Chemtura/Lanxess's east side appears to collect contaminated groundwater and divert it off-site to the neighbouring farm where it eventually discharges further downstream into the Canagagigue Creek (Gig).

2) The Stroh Drain is a below surface drain collecting both groundwater and surface water, clean and contaminated, and transports them downstream into the "Gig".

3) The "Gap" is the area where Chemtura's consultant GHD intentionally avoided taking soil samples in 2015 after we had clearly and publicly indicated our concerns and insights about this area as a pathway from Uniroyal/Chemtura to the Stroh farm and Drain.

4) GP1 & 2 appears to be a scam perpetrated by Chemtura and their consultants. Older maps show that GP1 has been relocated twice from it's original position which is extremely close to the "Gap" area just west of the Stroh farm and Drain.


The coverup of all things environmental by all parties in authority continues to this day. Shame on the pack of them.

IT WAS A PERFECT STORM

Unfortunately that's what it took to remove the old guard from our municipal politics in October 2010. Todd Cowan could have been the long term saviour of all things political and environmental here in Elmira but he failed miserably. He was much too flawed himself.

On October 9, 2010 a Kari Rayner from Elmira had a Letter To The Editor in the Woolwich Observer. She stated that football players practising outdoors at Elmira District Secondary School suffered burning eyes and had a nasty taste in their mouths from airborne chemical emissions. I'm assuming that Ms. Rayner is a teacher as she states that they sent their students out to walk home at the end of the school day at about the same time as the leak of BLE-25 from Chemtura that wasn't reported to the Township or the emergency telephone system until 10 pm. that nite.

It was reported in both local newspapers that many other families including some near the opposite end of Elmira than Chemtura found the tarry deposits on their children's playground equipment. As has been previously stated, Chemtura did spend time and money cleaning up their mess.Their failure was in the initial release via rupture disc and then their failure to tell the Township and local citizens via the telephone warning system.

LEAD IN OUR SCHOOLS TAP WATER

If this wasn't so serious it could almost be funny. Today we learn of ongoing problems with lead in our school's drinking water.For many years now our local school board, the Waterloo Region District School Board (WRDSB) have been gaining notoriety for their poor academic performance. That's right this is the same board which is very long on puffery and suggestions that they are a world class institution providing world class education, blah,blah and blah. Turns out not quite so much. By a long shot. It turns out that the provincial math and english test scores for Grade 3 and Grade 6 students have exposed some pretty second class results. Gee maybe we could throw some more taxpayers money at the teachers and at the administrators. That always seems to work (Not!). Today's Waterloo Region Record carries the story titled "Some local school taps fail lead tests".

We've long known that lead can negatively affect brain development and learning outcomes. It especially has negative effects upon children. Sooooo exactly how long is it going to take our braintrust at the WRDSB to come up with their spin on this one? Remember these guys are all about spinning everything. Whether it's the latest flavour of the month Edubabble properly known as nothing more than a new educational fad or whether it's explaining away rising teacher absenteeism, these guys can spin a tale.

Therefore while currently allegedly exerting world class efforts to reduce lead concentrations in the fountains at our schools, might they not suggest that this is why they haven't been able to keep up with their educational counterparts around Ontario for so many years now? They've tried the English as a second language excuse due to children of immigrants, despite Toronto for example having lots more. Now it's time to get really creative. Our children aren't doing well because we've rotted their minds with excessive lead in their drinking water. See it's really not due to our managing and supervising nor is it due to teacher issues at the public school level. It's lead in their brains. That's it! Keep the money flowing suckers oops taxpayers. We love our public school system just as it is. No changes required.